[lucideng]

I do repair and modernizing of cars/motorcycles/dirtbike/ATVs, that kind of stuff. Fuel injection conversions are something I specialize in. That is why I would like durable/resistant materials as an option. I won't be trying to earn with it intentionally, unless I stumble upon a niche. There are already more than a couple 3d printing services around here, no need to compete there.

I can do what I need to do in CAD, design my own parts, etc. Other than the above, I'll use it for gifts, stuff around the home, rasPi and ESP32 electronic projects with home assistant, misc. enclosures, etc. I have a broad set of use cases but running production 24/7/365 isn't something I see myself doing unless I stumble upon a niche as I mentioned.

[elcapitan]

> Fuel injection conversions are something I specialize in.

What kind of temperatures/pressures/chemical exposure are you expecting for your prints? You should probably start there, check for 3d printing materials that can actually handle those requirements, and then filter for printing technologies that fit the bill. I would imagine that would already break it down a lot.

[lucideng]

see my response to another reply: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45280742

[bluGill]

How many parts are we talking? I sounds to me like you are the perfect candidate for send-cut-send or one of the many many other services that take your CAD and build parts. You get to choose from materials your printer couldn't do (not matter what you have something cannot be done)

[lucideng]

Low volume stuff, single digits of parts, unless I find that niche, and i might outsource then. I'll keep the send-cut-send type stuff in mind. There are variations to certain parts that I'd like to iterate on, for example, intake runner lengths, diameters and shapes, various adapters/converters, panels/covers, etc. Plus, it's fun to do things yourself and learn along the way. It's not just about the end result.

Using a service would be better for a final part in a better material for the sake of longevity, not just 3d printed either, but cnc'd aluminum for example. Plastics can only go so far, but for short durations in some stressful situations, like intake manifolds, they can give you information. Having a printer in house will let me prototype to verify functionality of some engine parts, and being able to print in resistant materials will let me make final parts of less stressed parts in areas exposed to fuels, oils, etc.

[brudgers]

When you have a printer, cycle times can be much shorter…and a few fast cycles with a job shop will pay for a printer.

Small jobs from small customers are not a high priority for job shops. Neither are cheap jobs.

Having a printer means you are able to work on projects at 2am Sunday.

[sitzkrieg]

if youre interested in repair and solid part design, you may also want to consider SLA design printers. 4k panels are super cheap and its easier to work with strong resins (but messy) than eg, ABS heated bed and fume enclosures

[metal_am]

I have both a resin and FDM printer. The FDM is hands down easier to work with than dealing with resin. FDM ABS is also a far better material than ABS-like resin. (Disclosure: I've never tried a proper industrial resin from LOCTITE or something.)